factor

fac·tor
/ ˈfaktər/
•
n.
1.
a circumstance, fact, or influence that contributes to a result or outcome:
his legal problems were not a factor in his decisionshe worked fast, conscious of the time factor. ∎ Biol.
a gene that determines a hereditary characteristic:
the Rhesus factor.2.
a number or quantity that when multiplied with another produces a given number or expression. ∎ Math.
a number or algebraic expression by which another is exactly divisible.
3. Physiol.
any of a number of substances in the blood, mostly identified by numerals, which are involved in coagulation.
4.
a business agent; a merchant buying and selling on commission. ∎
a company that buys a manufacturer's invoices at a discount and takes responsibility for collecting the payments due on them.
∎ archaic
an agent, deputy, or representative.
•
v. [tr.]
1. Math.
express (a number or expression) as a product of factors.
2.
sell (one's receivable debts) to a factor.
PHRASAL VERBS:factor something in
(or out)
include (or exclude) something as a relevant element when making a calculation or decision:
when the psychological costs are factored in, a different picture will emerge.DERIVATIVES:fac·tor·a·ble
adj.

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factor

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.

Copyright The Columbia University Press

factor, in arithmetic, any number that divides a given number evenly, i.e., without any remainder. The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. Similarly in algebra, any one of the algebraic expressions multiplied by another to form a product is a factor of that product, e.g., a+b and a-b are factors of a2-b2, since (a+b)(a-b)=a2-b2. In general, if r is a root of a polynomial equation f(x)=0, then (x-r) is a factor of the polynomial f(x).

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Factor

West's Encyclopedia of American Law
COPYRIGHT 2005 The Gale Group, Inc.

FACTOR

An event, circumstance, influence, or element that plays a part in bringing about a result.

A factor in a case contributes to its causation or outcome. In the area of negligence law, the factors, or chain of causation, are important in determining whether liability ensues from a particular action done by the defendant.

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